Black Slab

A monolith blocked the path. Heavy. Polished stone, or dense shale from a cold stratum. I pressed my tail down to anchor the frame, then nudged the edge with the blunt tip of my snout. It did not yield. Beneath the surface, faint warmth hummed, like magma trapped beneath cooling crust. I leaned against its dark corner, letting the heat settle into my chest. Unmoving ground. Acceptable.